I use several "instant read" thermometers, similar in size and shape to the cheaper thermapen. They will all read to 220 deg F or more (about 110 deg C). They go from Ambient to about 200 deg. in about 10 seconds. The stems are thin, and you can use a loop in the case to hold them over hot pots. Prices are from $4 to $10 US, so if I break them, no big deal.

The more expensive mechanical ones can be reset (re-zeroed), with a pot of boiling water (or ice water) and a pair of pliers.

One of mine has a long stem for use testing liquids. That one is usually about $30 at restaurant supply houses.

The only advantage I've seen to the small electronic ones is that some read to about 300 deg F, which makes them useful for candy making.

There is a type of infra-red thermometer coming on the market (sometimes called laser). You can use these to read hot surfaces, like a frying pan or grill. There are also mechanical grill thermometers that can be used on a frying pan or grill, but the infra red are nearly instantaneous, and easy to carry in a pocket (for my small one that reads to about 430 deg F)

Thermoworks is having a special on their IR sensor with a free probe $99. I can't tell if it is their instant response probe. I don't know if I would use the IR sensor that much, but it looks like a larger display and it has a lot more bells and whistles than the Thermapen for only $15 more.

I've got a CDN and my neighbor has one too. We've compared them side by side in ice water and got different speeds. BUT, they ARE faster than other cheap thermometers! I just got a thermapen though and its much faster than the CDN. Well, maybe I'm measuring gnat wings but the Thermapen is 3 seconds and my CDN is 9 seconds. That matters to me though. Thats 3 times slower for the CDN. (My neighbors CDN was a little slower. We can't see why.) I read the earlier posts and my CDN quicktip is not chipping. The one next door has chipped a little though. By the way, I thought about getting the thermoworks IR and probe deal. Its supposed to be the same technology in the probe as the thermapen. But, i like the one-handed use of the thermapen. So I got the IRGUN instead for $69 to add to my thermometer kit. Bottom line for me: CDN is cheaper than Thermapen but I like the Thermapen way better. The numbers are easier to read too.

My hobby is Competition BBQ: The Denver Cajun BBQ Krewe.
We use and are happy with our Thermapens.
Our team is not sponsored by Thermoworks and I be the other 1800 teams in the Nation are not either; but most of them have one!
Accuracy is important; especially with Chicken; 180 Thighs, 160 Breasts.
For larger cuts such as Briskets, Pork Butts, Rib Roasts a regular probe with an alarm works well and much cheaper.
Thermoworks has a different model where multiple probes can be employed into several cuts of meat within the same smoker using an external connector that a monitoring unit can check the internal temp individually of each cut WITHOUT opening the door and letting the heat and smoke out.
In cooking: Knowing the External temp of a piece of meat is without value.
Maybe you don't have a smoker but I bet you have a grill! Undercook your chicken and send your guests to the hospital. Overcook? Why would they return?
A Thermapen might not be right for YOU depending on what you're cooking. I hope my reply helps.

I've got a ThermoPen, a neat probe thermometer (also from Thermoworks), and an IR thermometer from MasterCool. The ThermoPen is the fastest of all of them, hands-down...but having to potentially come in contact with really hot stuff (if you're not careful) makes it rank second to the probe deal as far as usage. As an aside: not overcooked anything in the oven since I got the probe from Thermoworks, and that includes various steaks, lamb chops, standing rib roasts, stews, and others. It's God's gift to the kitchen-bound! I've not had any trouble at all with the leads sucking, even though I've been fairly rough with them on occasion as far as cleaning. Like the ThermoPen, it also came with calibration documents.

The IR thermometer is a neat gadget, too. It's great for determining the temperature of oil for frying or the temp of scalding milk after a good stir...and the laser pointer is great for entertaining the dog

"The Taylor dial thermometer was so slow that I was afraid that my gloves would start getting too hot for me to hold the thermometer. Its thick probe also makes it useless except for large roasts, except you'll need to open the oven door for a full minute before you could guess if your roast was between medium-rare or medium."

I have to agree with the criticism of the above. Typical: An oven underneath a range, with light bulb inside and a glass door cooking say a turkey or a chicken. The rack will be low to fit the turkey inside making bending way over with a probe just enough of a nuisance to discourage regular monitoring. A simple Taylor dial will continuously display a rough estimate reading representing reality about 1 minute in the past, but is light years easier to read often. I would say start with the Taylor dial and use an upscale model if you have the time and need for more precision. I use the simple Taylor way more often than my other better one. For steaks its another matter of course.

I was standing in front of my oven Thanksgiving day, while the turkey was in the oven roasting, complete with Good Cook thermometer inserted properly. I was stirring the gravy on the cooktop and all of a sudden a very loud noise emanated from my oven. I stepped back very qucikly, looked to see that the oven door hadn't blown open and that there weren't any flames shooting out from the oven.
I turned the oven off and opened the oven door. The meat thermometer had blown out of the turkey, had either hit the oven wall or ceiling and had landed upside down, intact, in the roasting pan.
Does anybody have a thought ot two as to what might have caused this? I have thought of several. Meat thermometers turning into projectiles are definitely not my specialty or my next favorite thing.
Your comments, input, would certainly be welcome. This is my first experience with flying thermometers and I have been cooking for 50 plus years.
Sincerely.
pprice@socal.rr.com

No I don't work for these guys, but I have been looking for something like this for awhile; this looks much better than the analog Polder model that requires you to peer through your oven window to see the temperatures....

This is reeking of awesomeness... have a measurement OUTSIDE your oven, of your meat (or bread or whatever) AND your oven temperature at the same time. The Maverick ET-85 will beep if the oven temperature exceeds your setting, when the meat has reached the desired temperature...

Sur La Table carries these as well... i just ordered one as I was getting a new toaster oven and picked up a couple knickknacks. have a thermapen too but something you could just look at on the counter would be kind of nice. I'll post a little review once i use it.

Double M.Sc. Engineer wrote:

No I don't work for these guys, but I have been looking for something like this for awhile; this looks much better than the analog Polder model that requires you to peer through your oven window to see the temperatures....